Bethel falls to Greenwich in Senior American Legion state sectional semifinal

Scott Ericson

Published 12:02 am, Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Cameron Fennell of the Greenwich Cannons gets back to first just in time during a Connecticut Senior American Legion playoff baseball game gainst the Bethel Admirals played at Greenwich high school, Greenwich, CT on Monday July 22nd, 2013.
Photo: Mark Conrad

Cameron Fennell of the Greenwich Cannons gets back to first just in...

Taylor Olmstead of the Greenwich Cannons slides safely into second base as Erik Laaksonen of the Bethel Admirals can't apply the tag in time during a Connecticut Senior American Legion playoff baseball game played at Greenwich high school, Greenwich, CT on Monday July 22nd, 2013.
Photo: Mark Conrad

Taylor Olmstead of the Greenwich Cannons slides safely into second...

The Bethel Admirals shortstop Cody Johnson leaps up to try an catch a line drive but the ball gets by him during a Connecticut Senior American Legion playoff baseball game against The Greenwich Cannons played at Greenwich high school, Greenwich, CT on Monday July 22nd, 2013.
Photo: Mark Conrad

The Bethel Admirals shortstop Cody Johnson leaps up to try an catch...

Dean Demers of the Bethel Admirals gets tagged out at third by the Greenwich Cannons third baseman Cameron Fennell during a Connecticut Senior American Legion playoff baseball game played at Greenwich high school, Greenwich, CT on Monday July 22nd, 2013.
Photo: Mark Conrad

Dean Demers of the Bethel Admirals gets tagged out at third by the...

The Greenwich Cannons pitcher, Dylan Callahan, on the mound during a Connecticut Senior American Legion playoff baseball game against the Bethel Admirals played at Greenwich high school, Greenwich, CT on Monday July 22nd, 2013.
Photo: Mark Conrad

The Greenwich Cannons pitcher, Dylan Callahan, on the mound during...

Ryota Fujikura of the Greenwich Cannons runs to third during a Connecticut Senior American Legion playoff baseball game against the Bethel Admirals played at Greenwich high school, Greenwich, CT on Monday July 22nd, 2013.
Photo: Mark Conrad

Ryota Fujikura of the Greenwich Cannons runs to third during a...

Bethel Admirals pitcher Christopher Tenny on the mound during a Connecticut Senior American Legion playoff baseball game against the Greenwich Cannons played at Greenwich high school, Greenwich, CT on Monday July 22nd, 2013.
Photo: Mark Conrad

Bethel Admirals pitcher Christopher Tenny on the mound during a...

The Greenwich Cannons outfielder Kyle Dunster makes a nice catch on a long fly ball during a Connecticut Senior American Legion playoff baseball game against the Bethel Admirals played at Greenwich high school, Greenwich, CT on Monday July 22nd, 2013.
Photo: Mark Conrad

Bethel Admirals second baseman Erik Laaksonen fields an infield hit during a Connecticut Senior American Legion playoff baseball game against The Greenwich Cannons played at Greenwich high school, Greenwich, CT on Monday July 22nd, 2013.
Photo: Mark Conrad

The Greenwich Cannons shortstop Ryosuke Okazaki fields a groundball during a Connecticut Senior American Legion playoff baseball game against the Bethel Admirals played at Greenwich high school, Greenwich, CT on Monday July 22nd, 2013.
Photo: Mark Conrad

The Greenwich Cannons against the Bethel Admirals in a Connecticut Senior American Legion playoff baseball game played at Greenwich high school, Greenwich, CT on Monday July 22nd, 2013.

Photo: Mark Conrad

The Greenwich Cannons against the Bethel Admirals in a Connecticut...

The Greenwich Cannons pitcher Dylan Callahan on the mound during a Connecticut Senior American Legion playoff baseball game against the Bethel Admirals played at Greenwich high school, Greenwich, CT on Monday July 22nd, 2013.
Photo: Mark Conrad

The Greenwich Cannons pitcher Dylan Callahan on the mound during a...

The Greenwich Cannons against the Bethel Admirals in a Connecticut Senior American Legion playoff baseball game played at Greenwich high school, Greenwich, CT on Monday July 22nd, 2013.
Photo: Mark Conrad

The Greenwich Cannons against the Bethel Admirals in a Connecticut...

The Greenwich Cannons against the Bethel Admirals in a Connecticut Senior American Legion playoff baseball game played at Greenwich high school, Greenwich, CT on Monday July 22nd, 2013.
Photo: Mark Conrad

The Greenwich Cannons against the Bethel Admirals in a Connecticut...

The Greenwich Cannons against the Bethel Admirals in a Connecticut Senior American Legion playoff baseball game played at Greenwich high school, Greenwich, CT on Monday July 22nd, 2013.
Photo: Mark Conrad

The Greenwich Cannons against the Bethel Admirals in a Connecticut...

The Greenwich Cannons against the Bethel Admirals in a Connecticut Senior American Legion playoff baseball game played at Greenwich high school, Greenwich, CT on Monday July 22nd, 2013.
Photo: Mark Conrad

The Greenwich Cannons against the Bethel Admirals in a Connecticut...

The Greenwich Cannons against the Bethel Admirals in a Connecticut Senior American Legion playoff baseball game played at Greenwich high school, Greenwich, CT on Monday July 22nd, 2013.
Photo: Mark Conrad

The Greenwich Cannons against the Bethel Admirals in a Connecticut...

The Greenwich Cannons against the Bethel Admirals in a Connecticut Senior American Legion playoff baseball game played at Greenwich high school, Greenwich, CT on Monday July 22nd, 2013.
Photo: Mark Conrad

The Greenwich Cannons against the Bethel Admirals in a Connecticut...

The Greenwich Cannons against the Bethel Admirals in a Connecticut Senior American Legion playoff baseball game played at Greenwich high school, Greenwich, CT on Monday July 22nd, 2013.
Photo: Mark Conrad

The Greenwich Cannons against the Bethel Admirals in a Connecticut...

The Greenwich Cannons against the Bethel Admirals in a Connecticut Senior American Legion playoff baseball game played at Greenwich high school, Greenwich, CT on Monday July 22nd, 2013.
Photo: Mark Conrad

The Greenwich Cannons against the Bethel Admirals in a Connecticut...

The Greenwich Cannons against the Bethel Admirals in a Connecticut Senior American Legion playoff baseball game played at Greenwich high school, Greenwich, CT on Monday July 22nd, 2013.
Photo: Mark Conrad

The Greenwich Cannons against the Bethel Admirals in a Connecticut...

The Greenwich Cannons against the Bethel Admirals in a Connecticut Senior American Legion playoff baseball game played at Greenwich high school, Greenwich, CT on Monday July 22nd, 2013.
Photo: Mark Conrad

GREENWICH -- Greenwich Senior American Legion pitcher Dylan Callahan said he was not feeling in control of his breaking pitches Monday night, so, the righthander decided to keep it simple, pounding the strike zone and letting his defense work behind him.

Callahan was able to sneak a few effective breaking balls in at key times to keep the Bethel hitters off balance as he struck out nine over eight innings, leading the Cannons to a 7-3 win at the Greenwich High School field, advancing them to the sectional finals Tuesday in Waterbury.

Six of Callahan's strikeouts came on called third strikes.

"My fastball was feeling pretty good but I couldn't throw any of my off speed stuff for a strike," Callahan said. "I knew if I didn't have my off-speed pitches just to spot the fastball and let them hit and my defense would work for me and they did a great job. There is not much else to do. I kept trying to go back to it but they were just missing by a ton."

Callahan's approach of letting the Bethel hitters make contact was aided by the six runs the Cannons scored in the bottom of the first inning.

Callahan led off with a single and Ricky Okazaki plated him with a double to right centerfield, making it 1-0 before most fans had settled in.

"Scoring six runs in the first inning was very big because the pitcher they brought in really settled our bats down," Greenwich Coach Mike Abate said. "We stopped hitting and they were chipping, chipping, chipping and luckily we had Dylan on the mound because he is such a work horse. Just happy it went our way today."

Hull was relieved by Chris Tenney, who largely kept the Cannons bats quiet the rest of the game.

Admirals Coach Tom Duffy said he was pleased with Tenney's effort and his team for trying to claw back into the game against a quality starter.

"The kid that started for us had kind of a twinge in his arm and he has been keeping us up all year and I told the kids after the first, `now it's our turn to keep him up,' " Duffy said. "Our kids really started playing hard and Chris Tenney came in and did a really good job just getting ahead of hitters."

Bethel would get on the board in the fourth on a run-scoring double by Nicholas Spinella but the Cannons answered right back when Dreher scored Kono with a hard single down the third-base line.

Dreher had two RBI; Fennell had three hits, scored a run and drove in one; Pruner had two doubles and a RBI and Kono scored twice, drove in a run and reached base three times.

Bethel would add runs in the seventh and eighth but Kyle Dunster came in and set the Admirals down in order in the ninth, striking out two.